Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-12-23

Christmas Eve with fnrs cnough to enable
him tp get money sufficient Tor him tn pur
chase Christmas gift for Nilhclmiuu aud
few things for his guol wife. So when
the dul before Christmas came hc made mp
his pack, and then kneeliug, lac prayed fer
yently 10 ST Nicholas to prosper him and
soon send him a dowrv present for his
daughter. aud kissing Wilhelnnu, whom
he requested to stay at home with her
mother. and telling the old lady to be of
good cheer until his return, ne set out with
hi, pack of furs, assuring them he would
Ice back iu the morning with some good
news. aud they would have merry Christ
mas.
lie started down the narrow trail, for
there was no Broadway then, and as he
trudged along he alternately sang about
old Admiral Won Trump, who had swept
the seas with his nautical broom, and pray
ing that St Nicholas would not forget
about the dowrv Peter arrived in the
settlement which then clustered about the
Battery, just as the tallow dips and rush
light, were being lighted in the Beaver
Tail Tavern then the only resort for the
Wayiarcr in New Amsterdam.
After partaking Of some cruilers and
| lighting the long stemmed pipe, and with
| out waiting for supper, he went directly to
see the Old miser and offered him his furs,
telling him he did not wish 10 dispose pf
| them 80 Won Nechten, because he could get
uu money. which he must have that night
| The old man cursed Van Nechten bitterly,
and said if he did not pay him the money
/ he owed him soon, he would be ruined, and
| then driving a hard bargain with Peter
/ Van Arsdale, he told him he was going to
surprise him by making him a present.
| This announcement almost took the breath
away from the trapper. and this Is the way
| 1t rawe about The old money lender said
le had sent to Jacobus Van Nechtcn that
| very morning. for his money for the last
| Time threatening him with law, and that
| AN Nrrhten instead of sending him the
money. and to add insult to injury had
| sent him great fat goose, with a message
| that st Nicholas had told him to send it to
/ him as a Christmas GIFT, and that he was so
| enraged at this deception Of Van Nechten
| that he was about to cast the goose out in
/ tine road when the trapper came in. and he
said that as Van Nechten had sent the
/ goose to him in the name of St Nicholas,
as much as to say that he lNan Terwille
! ceri was "a goose. it occurred to him at the
| instant 10 give it 10 Peter Van Arsdae as
present from St Nicholas, as he knew he
| prayed to the saint and so the goose, which
| was a big. fat one. indeed, was duly trans
/ frrrcd to the possession Of Peter Van Ars
/ dale. who accepted it with words Of true
| thanks
Peter was so overioyed with his good luck
/ thnt ntt,r uurchasing some stuff for a
/ -n,yu for WilbeInina and soru. triuk.t.
/ for his wife, and after partaking hearty
/ supper at the Half Moon tavern, the night
| haii,- cold and clear. he trudged home
ward When he reached the cabin he was
/ almost reaJy 10 fall down with fatigue for.
/ the .eo.e wa, the henvi.,t he ever carried
! lr.. t,u,I that his ,yifa and daught.r were
/ fast .,sI.,, =, b. th,u,,ht he would pl,,. ,
| fl.icl, imoi, Wilbeln,iua. and instead of nut
/ tin.- the stuff for the gown near her stock
| in., (which She. had hmm, mn, AT fine chimney
| corner for ~ NichoIa, T., i'm he placed the
..,u.,. tlar. and ,,r,t,. ON a slim If pa,er
/ Isl Nicholas send. tbi, ooose as n dover
and a merry Christmas for WilLelu,ina Sc
/ ord ,yitI, . inar,., t,,inl-l,. i'm bi. eve and a
/ hauuy henrt after tbo,,l,ipl, - Nicholas
/ for tLe ,,oos4 L, ,uietIv cr,pt into he'd
| and WA, soon IN "A blissful ,leen and knew
nothing again until early dawn. when he
/ beorJ tb. mar,y voice of Wilhehniua call
/ ins- him to come immediately and see the
dover St Nicholas had sent her and her
/ lirht laughter was sucb AS he had never
heard before. So he soon arose With his
,ood wife. and Wilh.luina ran and EN-
/ hrorad tb,.,n and kissed them ond wished
them q merry Christmas and said She
,yo,iJ som he married for Il Nicholas had
at last answered. her fathers nravers and
.ordu,tiu,, her uar4uts to the kitchen She
r,i,tsd to the ,,reat fat ,,oos. lvincr ON tho
/ i,,nlr and coInnletelv surrounded by i'm
mems. heaus Of differing gold coin,
pst.r Vou Arsdola r1a7ed in confused
,youl.rment at tbe si5bt as tbough in n
dream Will, W1beln1ina exulained: II
f.un1 the ,,,,sa This ,noruin,, With II Nich
olas'. note and so brought il ont here.
thankful to have even such a gift. and |
nnmediotelv commenced 70 preEare il for
n,,r Christina. dinner After had singed
il rlaced it ON the table for il was very
heavy. and when | thrust the knife into il
..,inatlin,, hard was hit mnde a lone
uri.inm and then lifted th. goose M to see
th. .tran,. thin,r that hal struck the knife
whom out flowed NOT Golden err, but ali
fb,s.. b-nus of Golden coins and So St
VicLola. E,. ,nsIyered o,r urovers aud I'Il
.onn L,. married
N,y tn end tbis trua Christmas legeud
which b,pprneJ in old New YORK 232 year,
.,,, II r,i,tt La t,ll how, tbis ,,nns,. cam. to